


Old Times

by MythicWolf



Category: Star Fox Series
Genre: Confessions, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Late Night Conversations, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:54:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24379798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythicWolf/pseuds/MythicWolf
Summary: Two months. Two months since Wolf disappeared. Two months since the aparoids. Why does he want to talk with Fox now?
Relationships: Fox McCloud/Wolf O'Donnell
Comments: 21
Kudos: 114





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's been quite a while since I've written a Star Fox fanfic, but I got an idea and rolled with it! This will be a three part fic, and I've already got everything written out. Hope y'all enjoy!

Watching you move 

On and on

Calling my name

As I ache

* * *

  
**WLFN >** been a while, hasn't it?

  
**FXMC >** Who is this

  
**WLFN >** think you know exactly who this is, pup

  
**FXMC >** Wolf?

  
**WLFN >** the one and only

  
**FXMC >** Fuck I thought you were dead

  
**WLFN >** disappointed?

  
**FXMC >** No? I don't know

  
**WLFN >** a shame. thought you would be happy to hear from me

  
**FXMC >** Wolf, I don't know how to feel about you

  
**FXMC >** How did you get this frequency

  
**WLFN >** you are talking to a pirate lord

  
**FXMC >** I guess that's valid

  
**WLFN >** impressed?

  
**FXMC >** Still don't know how to feel

  
**WLFN >** would meeting in person make you feel better?

  
**FXMC >** What, so you can capture me? Worse? Hell no

  
**WLFN >** come on, I wouldn't do that

  
**FXMC >** You wanna remind me what you did during the Lylat Wars?

  
**WLFN >** fair point

  
**WLFN >** but I don't want to fight, promise. just talk

  
**FXMC >** You better not be lying

  
**WLFN >** got nothing to lose, mccloud

  
**FXMC >** Fine, where do you want to meet

  
**WLFN >** well, how's fichina sound

  
**FXMC >** It's neutral ground, and nearby. Sure, that works 

  
**WLFN >** great! Sending coords to meet you 

  
>COORDINATES RECEIVED<

  
**FXMC >** I still don't know why you want to talk

  
**WLFN >** think of it as making amends

  
**FXMC >** Yeah, sure. Whatever

  
**WLFN >** ill meet you there tomorrow, around 1 CST

  
**FXMC >** Okay. Don't try anything 

  
**WLFN >** wouldnt dream of it

  
**WLFN >** see ya

  
>CONNECTION LOST<

  
"What the hell."

Fox set the tablet down on his nightstand before he ran a hand down the side of his face. His heart was racing, and his mind was filled with strange and conflicting emotions. It was like he was running off of a high.

"What the _hell_ was that?" He whispered to himself. He hugged his legs to his chest and leaned his head back until it hit the metal headstand of his bed.

Numbness spread through his body. Countless thoughts formed and dissipated in his head like dust in the air. He tried grasping at them, but they were too fragmented to form any clear picture of his feelings.

"This is what I've been trying to avoid, you asshole." Fox felt anger spark in his chest, hot and red. He slammed a fist against the metal wall of his quarters, and it echoed with a hollow bang.

Fox swore he heard Falco groan from the other side of the wall. He took a deep breath and rubbed his temples.

_Don't let him get under your skin. It's fine._

He glanced over at the tablet. _It's not fine._

He sighed as his ears drooped. "This is ridiculous." He picked the tablet back up and turned it on, scrolling down to a different conversation.

  
**FXMC >** Hey. You up?

  
**KRST >** I can feel your emotional hurricane from my room. What's the matter?

  
**FXMC >** Promise not to tell anyone

  
**KRST >** I promise.

  
**FXMC >** Wolf just contacted me

  
**FXMC >** He's alive

  
**KRST >** Well, that explains it.

  
**FXMC >** Yeah, yeah. Anyway, he wants to talk in person tomorrow

  
**KRST >** I see. Are you going to talk?

  
**FXMC >** My mind is screaming at me not to, but I'm gonna talk to him

  
**KRST >** If your mind is made up, why did you text me?

  
**FXMC >** I dunno. I just need to talk to someone

  
**KRST >** Well, I'm the best person for that!

  
Fox couldn't help but grin.

  
**FXMC >** I know, Krystal

  
**KRST >** Do you want to tell me why you're so torn up?

  
**FXMC >** I'm not even sure why I am. It's just Wolf

  
**KRST >** Except it isn't "just" Wolf. If it was "just" Wolf, you wouldn't have spent two months in constant worry about his fate.

  
**FXMC >** Subtle tonight, aren't we?

  
**KRST >** You hate it when I'm subtle.

  
**FXMC >** Fair

  
**KRST >** So. Talking to Wolf in person. How does that make you feel?

  
**FXMC >** Well Ms. Therapist…

  
**FXMC >** Oh

  
**KRST >** What's the matter?

  
**FXMC >** I don't know how it makes me feel

  
**KRST >** Well from here I can pick out a lot of emotions. Would you like me to point them out for you?

  
**FXMC >** No! 

  
**KRST >** Then try to tell me.

  
**FXMC >** Well, scared as shit for one. Nervous. Relieved? Happy too but I don't know why

  
**KRST >** Nothing regarding Wolf is straightforward with you.

  
**FXMC >** Wolf is a strange guy

  
**KRST >** You do seem to enjoy his company when he is barking insults during dogfights. You're pretty strange too.

  
**FXMC >** Still isn't helping me understand why I feel like this

  
**KRST >** I think you'll understand better when you talk to him.

  
**FXMC >** I hope so

  
**KRST >** And you've got my blessing no matter what happens.

  
**FXMC >** Uh, okay? Thanks?

  
**KRST >** Just try to get some sleep, Fox. You'll need it.

  
**FXMC >** Okay. Thanks for trying to help, Krystal

  
**KRST >** You're welcome!

  
**FXMC >** Good night

  
**KRST >** Night, Fox.

  
Fox powered the tablet down and plugged it into the charger on the nightstand. He scratched his head in confusion.

_None of this makes sense! If anything, Krystal made it more confusing!_

He crawled under the covers of the bed and curled up with a sigh. The room was pitch black, save for the window on the far wall that showed off the expanse of space beckoning to him. It was like the void was reaching out to drag him in. 

Some anecdote about temptation flitted through Fox's head, but he couldn't grasp it fully. He closed his eyes and allowed his thoughts to drift to Wolf.

The word temptation screamed louder in his head as he thought of the fellow mercenary, but he pushed it out.

_It's all too confusing. I can't believe he's alive! How did he survive the aparoid homeworld's destruction?_

More questions piled up in Fox's head. _What's he been up to? Why has he been hiding?_

Another jolt of anger washed over by sadness. _Why did he let me think he was dead?_

Fox growled and curled into himself tighter as his tail thrashed about behind him. Wolf's presence wouldn't leave his mind; it was stuck to every corner of his mind and refused to budge an inch.

_Dammit, Wolf. How do you do this to me?_

None of Fox's questions were answered, and eventually he fell into a fitful sleep haunted by images of grey fur and a single, piercing purple eye. Deep, rich laughter chased him into unconsciousness.

* * *

You tell me you love him

I give you a grin

Look at you

Looking through me

* * *

The sky was grey. Clouds covered every inch of it, and they were angry.

Purple lightning crackled through the air and split the atmosphere open with thunder so loud it rattled the ground.

Fox could see it all from where he lay on his back, staring up at it all. A battle was raging up in the storm, but the rain hadn't come. It was waiting for something.

Fox grabbed a fistful of the grass he was laying in and looked at it. It was white, and it crumbled into dust right after he picked it.

Thunder continued to roar, but there was no rainfall. Fox felt every strand of his fur stand on end as he got up from where he lay to look out at the land that spread around him.

He could see a figure in the distance, standing on a hill. They were underneath a tree that held bright orange leaves. Fox turned and saw another tree behind him, covered in leaves hued with purple.

He turned back around and tried to call out to the figure.

Lightning struck the tree, and the sky finally opened up.

The rain was purple. Deep laughter tormented him, and he fell back to the ground.

* * *

Grit my teeth

Hiding a scream

As you smile 

Looking like you've won

* * *

Fox jolted up, gasping for breath. He cradled his head in his hands.

_Damn._

The lights kicked on in his room and he yawned, shaking the strange dream from his mind as he got out of bed. The clock on his desk read 6:52 AM.

"Well, no way I'm getting back into bed now." He trudged over to his dresser and pulled out his flight suit and jacket. He changed swiftly and grabbed his scarf from the coat hanger by the door before he left his quarters.

The hallway lights came to life as he walked towards the lift. His metal footsteps echoed throughout the hall and into his skull, pounding against the headache from his fitful sleep.

_Such a strange dream. Damn, I'm still too tired for all this._

The lift carried him up to the mess hall and to a certain vixen drinking a mug of coffee with a contemplative look on her face.

Fox smiled as he walked over to her. "Up early?"

Krystal set her mug down and grinned back. "You're one to talk."

Fox shrugged and walked over to the coffee machine sitting on a nearby counter. "Didn't sleep well."

"Hmm, I wonder why?" Krystal asked. Fox rolled his eyes; the smile in her voice was obnoxious.

He set his mug under the machine and started it up. "Another weird dream."

"Really? What was it about?"

Fox sighed and ran a hand through his headfur. "I was in a field, I think. There was a storm above, and I saw a figure on a hill. When I called out to them, the rain started." A shiver ran down his spine as he spoke. "Woke up after."

Krystal hummed. "It's not the strangest dream that you've had."

Fox scoffed. "The fact that I even get them is weird." The coffee pouring into his mug slowed to a trickle.

"Some people just get abstract dreams. Everyone dreams differently, you more than most."

"You've been doing your research, haven't you?" Fox raised a brow as he took his mug over to sit across from Krystal.

"It's to help you!" Krystal grinned, but Fox just crossed his arms.

"There's something else, isn't there?" _She doesn't just deep dive into this stuff without a reason. There's always an obsession behind these… fixations._

"Well, sort of?" Krystal took a sip from her mug. "I was thinking of becoming a therapist. Shouldn't be too hard, being an empath and all." She tapped the side of her head as she spoke.

Fox's brows drew together. "A… therapist? But we're mercs!"

"Didn't you say you wanted to take an 'extended break' from doing mercenary work after the aparoids?"

_Oh boy._ Fox was silent, instead opting to take a long drink from his mug. He grimaced; it was far too bitter. Krystal shot him a wry smile.

"When we go back to Corneria, we're gonna need jobs. I figured I could use my powers to help people," Krystal murmured with a starry look in her eyes.

Fox felt an ache in his chest as he watched Krystal's wonder. He couldn't describe the feeling as anything other than emptiness, and it hurt. A pang of jealousy worked its way into the empty hole and settled there.

"That sounds like something you would enjoy." Fox's voice was flat, even as he smiled at her. She frowned as her ears flattened against her head.

"I figured you would be happier for me. You okay?" 

_Shit._ Fox sighed and avoided her gaze. "I'm sorry, there's just a lot on my mind." The conversation with Wolf replayed itself in his head over and over.

"That's an understatement." Krystal rolled her eyes and leaned forward in her seat. "Between the team taking a break, and now Wolf…" Her eyes widened.

"What?" Fox asked.

"You don't want to take a break, do you?"

He barked out a laugh. "Nothing gets past you, does it?"

"Oh, Fox." Krystal reached over and set a hand atop his. "You could've just told us the truth."

"You're all tired. I just wanted you all to recover," Fox replied with a sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand and squeezed his eyes shut.

"How many times have I told you that your feelings are just as important as ours?" Krystal asked, her voice rising just enough to make Fox flinch.

"Too many."

"Then you should hammer it into that thick skull of yours!" She smacked his arm and chuckled.

"Hey, I've been trying! It's a whole process!" Fox couldn't help but smile as she chided him. "Seriously, I'm sorry for lying."

Krystal's face grew somber. "I know, it's okay." She squeezed his hand one more time before letting go.

Fox drained the rest of his mug, lost in thought. She was right about it all, and he knew it. She was always right about everything, but it didn't anger him.

_I just need to heed her lessons better. She's taught me so much since joining the group a year ago. Taught all of us._

A pleasant warmth buzzed in his chest at the thought. _She fits into our dysfunctional family too well._

"Thinking about something sappy again, Fox?" Krystal smirked and raised a brow.

Fox felt his face heat up. "Well, I-" She giggled as he stumbled over his words. "Ugh, yes. I'm not gonna tell you what it was."

"Your face was explanation enough." Krystal shook her head. "You need to control those expressions."

"Why? In case we ever go on an espionage mission? I'm a celebrity; no way," Fox stated with a scoff.

"You may as well be. You're going to meet Wolf, remember?"

Everything Fox was trying to suppress just bubbled right back to the surface of his mind and made him groan. "You're fucking right."

_Why did I agree to meet him?_ He felt his brain melt just thinking about Wolf, and it wasn't a great feeling. He thought. Probably.

With those thoughts of Wolf came thoughts of the aparoids and the invasion. Thoughts of the Lylat Wars and Andross flooded through the cracks, as well. Everything came crashing through and began to drown him, and he whimpered.

"Hey, calm down. It's okay." Krystal's voice was smooth and reassuring. Fox latched onto it and took a few deep breaths. He didn't even realize that his heart rate had sped up.

"Sorry. It's a lot." Fox's chest was tight and the mess hall felt like it was so small it was crushing him. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing.

"It's alright, just breathe. I'm right here."

Fox exhaled, and with it went some of the anxiety. He took a breath of calm in. It opened his chest and soothed his nerves. Another exhale and he opened his eyes.

He couldn't help but chuckle weakly. "Haven't had one of those in a while. Damn."

Krystal set a hand on his shoulder. "I think talking to him will do you some good. Bring you some closure."

"Or more anxiety." Fox shrugged, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was right.

_She's always right, you idiot. Just listen to her._

"It'll be okay." She paused for a moment. "Would you like me to come with you to meet him?"

Fox shook his head without hesitation. "No! No." He looked down at his hands where they rested in his lap. "I gotta do this by myself. It feels like the right thing to do."

Krystal nodded. "Okay."

Fox smiled. "Thanks for putting up with me." _More like with how useless I am._

"Of course!" Krystal smiled while she clasped her hands together.

"I should… probably get going now. It'll take a little while to get there." Fox stood up. "Glad we could talk before I left."

"Just be sure to let me know what happens!"

He gave her a thumbs-up as he walked out. "I will! See you later!"

The door shut behind him and once more Fox was alone with his thoughts. He shoved his hands in his pockets and made his way to the hangar, whistling to himself as he went.

_Just gotta stay calm. It'll be fine._

The hangar was a mess, to say the least. When Fox stepped in, he was met with cluttered workspaces and piles of scrap scattered all about the spacious place. He sighed and shook his head as he tiptoed around a delicate project that had a strongly worded note from Slippy attached to it.

_He needs to clean the place up before he starts another new project._

The Arwings were suspended from the ceiling, held up by magnetic clamps. He looked up at them and saw sparks flying from one of the Arwings with the sound of metal scraping against metal accompanying it. A tuft of blue feathers flashed in his view every so often.

Fox chuckled. _Guess everyone decided to have an early start today._ He took a stairwell up to the catwalks that led to everyone's Arwings and grinned at the sight of Falco cursing at his ship.

"Need a little help, my feathered friend?" Fox called out over the welder Falco was using to patch a scar in the Arwing's plating.

"Ah, _fuck_! Fox?" Falco swore as he jumped. He turned to glare at Fox. "The hell are you doing here?"

"Don't get your feathers all ruffled!" Fox exclaimed with a grin. "I'm headed out for a little while. Got some business to take care of."

Falco wiped his brow with a wing and turned the welder off. "Business, huh? What might this business be, Foxy?"

_Nothing gets past you, either. Didn't hurt to try._

Fox looked down at his feet. "Headed to Fichina. Wolf wants to meet me." 

A beat passed and there was no response. He looked back at Falco to see widened eyes and a beak that dropped all the way to the floor.

"Falco, are you-"

"Wolf's alive?" Falco squawked, cutting him off.

"Uh, yeah." Fox winced and rubbed his ears. "He got ahold of my comm frequency, I guess. Told me he wanted to talk in person."

Falco took another moment to respond. Fox watched with amusement as the gears turned inside Falco's head, trying to form a coherent thought.

"So. You were just gonna run off and not tell us?" Falco clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Bad form, my friend."

Fox felt heat rush to his face. "Hey, I told Krystal! She would've let you know!"

Falco snorted. "Neglecting to tell your best friend is a crime, Foxy." He waved a wrench as Fox as he spoke.

Fox walked closer to him and crossed his arms. "Can't blame me for being worried about your reaction."

"That's true," Falco conceded with a nod.

"So… you're not mad?"

"Nah, not really. Just be sure to let a guy know when you go rushing off, okay?" Falco rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. "Speakin' from personal experience."

Fox rolled his eyes. "I'm well aware."

A chuckle. "Well, you should get going."

"Yeah, you're right. Don't want to be late, I suppose." Fox walked over to his Arwing and opened the hatch.

"Hey, Fox!"

"Yeah?"

Falco set a hand on his hip. "Be careful, okay? Wolf helped us out, but there could still be something going on with him. Don't want our fearless leader dying on us!"

Fox laughed. "I'll let you know if something goes wrong."

"You better! I'll save your ass, so long as you ask nicely!" Falco winked at him, and he snorted.

"Yeah, alright. See you later!" Fox waved before he jumped into the cockpit and closed the hatch, strapping into his seat.

A sharp hiss signaled the pressure sealing Fox from the outside world, and he smiled. He flicked a switch on the dash and all the displays lit up in a green glow while the engine roared to life. With one last salute to Falco, Fox disengaged the magnetic lock and burst out of the hangar and into deep space.

_Well, here we go._


	2. Chapter 2

Things can be lost

But we never really lose them

It's their memories

Those stay with us

* * *

Fichina was the embodiment of chaos itself.

Blizzards the size of continents swirled across the blue surface of the planet, freezing everything in its path. The oceans were all frozen solid into layers of ice thousands of feet thick, all with snowdrifts the size of mountains stacked on top of them. Only a few brave, bright lights blinked out at space from the surface of the planet, covered by domes that kept the frigid cold out.

Fox couldn't help but marvel at how picturesque the planet was from a distance.

He smiled to himself as he punched in the coordinates that Wolf gave him into his navicomputer. An icon popped up on the eyepiece of his headset, pointing him to one of the settlements that dotted the landscape.

"Well, at least it wasn't in the middle of nowhere," Fox murmured with a shrug.

His Arwing breached the atmosphere with ease as the G-Diffusers counteracted any discomfort he might have had. The flames licking at his cockpit from entry still managed to unnerve him and make him tighten his grip on the control yoke, however.

Just as quickly as it started, the flames died away and Fox was met with the tundra spread out before him with a glass dome in the distance.

An icon on his dashboard started blinking. _Someone's hailing me._ He pressed it.

"Unidentified aircraft, please state your nature of business," a female robotic voice spoke.

"This is Fox McCloud, looking to dock. I'm here on civilian business."

A moment passed. "Greetings, Fox McCloud. You will be allowed to land. Please enjoy your stay at Station Nine."

Fox nodded to himself and maintained his course towards the dome. He spotted the hangar doors and slowed his speed as he descended, the structure growing in size all the while.

The hangar doors opened and Fox took his ship inside, setting it down near a few other smaller craft on one side of the crowded hangar. He spotted some hulking transport vehicles on the other side of the space.

Fox unbuckled and popped the cockpit open. He clambered out and dropped to the ground, where he stretched out as far as he could with a grunt and grimace.

"Well damn, this place is huge." Fox hummed and scratched his chin. "Guess my headset will just… keep me on the trail."

A circular icon pointed Fox somewhere inside the dome. He shoved his hands in his pockets and weaved his way through the docked ships to the exit of the hangar, shivering as he went. The hangar was certainly spacious, but it didn't do anything to keep the biting cold away. He zipped his coat up and drew his scarf tighter around his neck.

_Jeez, you'd think places like this would have better climate control._

Things proved to be much better once Fox left the hangar and entered the city proper. The temperature was much warmer, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he loosened his scarf.

And then he looked up at everything.

"Oh, wow…" Fox breathed with widened eyes.

There were actual skyscrapers underneath the cover of the dome. They were cylindrical, and some of them even connected with the top like pillars holding the foundation together. Bridges and walkways connected the buildings in an intricate manner that made everything seem like a maze.

There must have been thousands of people out on the streets of every different species.

Fox couldn't help the sense of wonder that bubbled up inside him and made his tail wag. 

_This is…_

Fox started walking towards his destination with a grin. The street he was on was lined by many different stands, all selling goods from every planet. The buildings up above were all stark grey, but down on the street, it was a rainbow of color from everywhere.

_It's like the festivals they have on Corneria, but with way more diversity. This is so cool!_

Fox had to prevent himself from browsing a few of the stands when he saw some interesting looking food. He shook his head and continued down the path with his mind set on Wolf.

"Well, almost there." Fox looked around the place for some sort of sign to a restaurant or bar, but nothing was coming to him. "This place really is a maze!"

He followed the directions around a few different corners and into some more empty side streets before it finally stopped.

Fox looked up and raised an eyebrow at the neon sign dangling above the entrance.

"Seriously? 'The Lucky Fox?'" He scowled at the cartoonish depiction of himself on the sign. _Well, Wolf has a sense of humor after all._

Fox blinked as a thought crossed his mind. He huffed and took his headset off, shoving it in his pocket. After that, he zipped his jacket up and tried his best to mess his headfur up enough not to be noticed.

_Good enough_. He took a breath and opened the door, a bell ringing as he entered.

"Welcome to the Lucky Fox!" A woman exclaimed with a smile. She waved at him from across a counter, and he waved back with a smile.

Fox crossed his arms and glanced around the cramped establishment. _So where is… oh._

_Oh, come on._

Wolf was sitting alone in a booth by the far wall, and he was waving at Fox with a stupid grin on his face. His eyepatch was back instead of that dumb eyepiece. It was much better looking for his scruffy self, Fox had to admit. The oversized thermal coat wasn't doing much for him, though.

"Hey!" Wolf called, his grin growing wider. "What's up?"

Fox felt his face burn hot as he walked across the cafe and slumped in the seat across from Wolf. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Fox hissed.

Wolf frowned. "What? Two months and that's all I get?"

Irritation bubbled up in Fox's chest. "No, you don't get to say that. You're the one who dropped off the damn map for two months without telling anyone if you're alive!" Fox slammed a hand against the table. "You can't just wave and smile at me like we're _best friends_ after all that!"

Wolf was quiet for a moment as his demeanor deflated into something small. He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry."

Fox raised his brows. "Wait, you're actually apologizing?"

Wolf growled and glared at him. "Don't get rude, I'm trying to be sincere!"

"Okay…" Fox leaned back against the seat. "So."

Wolf nodded. "So."

"You told me you wanted to 'make amends' last night. What's that about, huh?"

"Right, yeah." Wolf cleared his throat. "Just figured it was time to bury the hatchet, ya know?"

"You want to put the whole rivalry shtick behind us?" Fox leaned forward and crossed his arms over the table. _Never thought I'd hear that from him._

"Yep!" Wolf gave him a thumbs up. "I know it's hard to trust my word, but I'm serious. I thought we could talk things over."

"Just like that? You really think it's that simple?" Fox rubbed his forehead and sighed. "It's not that simple!"

"I know that!" Wolf exclaimed. He clasped his hands together. "I know. We've been at each other's throats for almost a decade; I just wanted to set things right."

"I didn't even think you had a moral compass, Wolf," Fox scoffed.

Wolf winced. "Okay, fair." 

Fox frowned. "Sorry. Little too far."

"No, it's alright." Wolf rubbed the back of his neck. "But I'm being serious, I wanna try and make amends!"

"I can't just forgive that you worked for the man who killed my damn father!"

Remorse washed over Wolf's expression as he looked down at the table. "I know. I don't expect you to."

"Then what do you want from me?" _It's like he's trying not to make any sense! What's changed with him?_

"Just to talk. That's what I said last night."

Fox's conversation with Krystal came back to him as he studied Wolf's face. "Okay, fine. We can talk." _At least he seems genuine._

"So what do you want to talk about, Fox?"

Fox raised a brow. "So I can ask you anything?"

Wolf shot him a wicked smile. "Well, unless it's about what I do in the bedroom, go ahead."

Fox made a noise of disgust low in his throat. "Crude."

"You're talking to an ex-pirate." Wolf shrugged. 

Fox shook his head and groaned. _Yeah, same old Wolf. Can't tell if I hate it or don't mind it._

He refocused on Wolf a moment later after he composed himself. "Okay. What have you been doing after the aparoids? Why did you let everyone think you had died?" _Why didn't you tell me?_

Wolf hummed, scratching his chin. "It's complicated."

"I've got time and you promised answers. Start talking." Fox scowled and jabbed a finger at Wolf as he spoke.

"Damn, just as feisty as always. It's cute." Wolf chuckled while Fox's cheeks burned. 

"C'mon Wolf, spill it!"

"Alright, alright." Wolf rested his chin in a hand. "My team barely made it out of the aparoid homeworld when it was self-destructing; came out pretty far from where you guys did. At the time I thought it would be better for us to fake our deaths and avoid any criminal charges."

"But what about Sargasso? Your criminal empire or whatever?"

"Last I remember, someone came by in a fit of rage looking for Pigma and ruined my operation," Wolf retorted with a narrowed eye.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Wolf didn't respond, instead opting to jump back into his story. "Anyway, the three of us split up for a while after that. Leon's somewhere on Macbeth, Panther is on Corneria." Wolf's gaze trailed up to the ceiling. "I wandered, mostly. Took on odd jobs to make money. Did lots of thinking."

When Wolf didn't continue, Fox leaned closer and asked, "Thinking about what?"

Wolf's bright eye fixated on him. "Thinking about you."

_Aw, dammit._ Fox's face ran hot again, but he didn't dare break Wolf's gaze. "Uh."

Wolf broke out into a laugh and Fox just grew more confused than before. "Sorry, that needs some explanation!" Wolf wiped a tear from his eye and chuckled a bit more.

"Uh, yeah. Care to continue?"

Wolf nodded. "Yeah, sorry. Like I said, I did lots of thinking about you. Thought about the things you did during the invasion, how you let us help you out. How much you sacrificed for us." He sighed and sunk into his seat. "I wanted to be better after seeing all that. You made me want to be better."

Fox grabbed a menu from the edge of the table and pretended to scan it as his mind raced. _Wolf's never been so sincere before. Is this even the same guy who tried to kill me?_

And yet… it was still Wolf. Still the same eye patch and grey fur. _Maybe this is just how he is around people he's not trying to kill._

"But why? What changed since the Lylat Wars? You used to hate me!"

"Fox, we were different people back then! That was almost a decade ago!"

The fur on the back of Fox's neck stood up as he growled. "You still willingly worked for Andross! You still tried to kill me!"

"I never _wanted_ to kill you!" 

Fox's mind went blank. "What?" The menu fell from his hands.

Wolf took a deep breath. "I never wanted to kill you, okay? You were just a lost, grieving kid." He grimaced and covered his face with his hands. His voice was a whisper in the sea of noise from the rest of the cafe.

"Killing you for him would've been awful. I couldn't."

"Wolf, I'm…" Fox trailed off. He tried to reach his hand out, but thought better of it and gripped the edge of the table instead.

"I've never tried to be a bad guy, Fox." When Wolf uncovered his face, he looked far older than he really was. Shadows danced over his face and made every angle sharper, more defined.

Fox felt about as haggard as Wolf looked. He must've noticed because he grinned a second later. It didn't reach his eye.

"It's just how mercenary business works. You should know that, pup."

"Yeah," Fox replied distantly. Wolf's revelation was still trying to process in his head, but it wasn't coming through well. 

_He's never wanted to kill me._

As insane as that was to believe coming from what was once his mortal enemy, he couldn't help but accept it. It was true.

"Hey, c'mon." Wolf snapped his fingers and it made Fox jump. "I didn't break ya, did I?"

"No, no. Sorry, that's just a lot." Fox rubbed his face and exhaled through his nose.

"I tend to have that effect on people." Wolf snickered and Fox managed to grin back at him. The snicker died down fast. "Are you okay?" 

"I…" _I don't know_. Fox felt his breath start to come in shallow gasps. He forced himself to look out the window that was behind Wolf and slow his breaths.

_It's cool, you're cool. You've heard and been through worse. Just ignore that Wolf is doing an impeccable job at tearing your walls down._

Something warm and soft brushed against his arm. "-ox? Fox?" 

It was Wolf's hand. Fox expected himself to jerk away and put distance between them, but he didn't. Couldn't.

All he could do focus on was the hand on his arm and open his mouth. "Sorry, I spaced out," he murmured.

"Uh-huh." Wolf's gaze was filled with something Fox couldn't quite put his finger on.

Concern?

"It's fine if you're not okay. I get it, it's hard to believe something like that from me."

Fox shook his head before he could think. "No! No, I believe you!" _It shouldn't be that easy._

A smile graced Wolf's lips. Something inside Fox warmed at the gesture. "I'm glad you do."

Wolf's hand was still on Fox's arm. He must have finally noticed because he pulled away with a chuckle and hid his hand below the table like it had been burned. 

"This really isn't how I expected the day to go," Fox admitted after a moment of thought.

"Oh yeah? What did you expect?"

A shrug. "I dunno, meeting you at a bar and getting shitfaced? Working out our feelings through a brawl? Kidnapping?"

Wolf snorted. "You've got no faith in a man who just wants to talk, do you?"

"I was just taking into account our history!" Fox shot back with a grin.

"I could've had us meet at some seedy bar if you'd asked."

"Ew, no." Fox stuck his tongue out in disgust. "I don't do beer."

Claws rapped on the table as Wolf stared at him intently. "More of a wine guy?"

"Yeah, when I'm in the mood," Fox replied with a laugh. He could feel his shoulders relax as they got into their conversation; the nagging voice in the back of his head seemed to shut up for the moment.

"Adorable." Wolf blinked at him in an odd way.

It took Fox a moment to register what Wolf just did. "I'm sorry, did you just wink at me?"

Wolf had the gall to look bashful as he looked away. "Yeah… forgot it doesn't really work anymore."

"Dork." Fox's face heated up as he spoke. _Ugh, what the hell? You might be the dork for saying that, Fox._

But when Wolf just smiled at him, Fox didn't feel so stupid. Something about that grin and the playful glint in his eye just drew Fox in.

And then it all clicked in his head.

_Oh, no._

He was in six feet deep and sinking fast. A voice inside his head told him to get out before it was too late.

_Yeah. Yeah, you can just ignore it-_

"I might be a dork, but my looks make up for it." Wolf crossed his arms and flashed Fox a blinding smile.

It was too late.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Pride Month, guys! I hope you enjoy the last chapter!

Can I be close to you?

Will it break everything we know?

Or will it all make sense

Are we allowed to be whole?

* * *

Fox was not okay.

Well, he was fine. Wolf hadn't hurt him; they were still making conversation and it was great. Something about talking to him had become relaxing instead of nervewracking as time wore on.

And that was why Fox wasn't okay.

Wolf's smile, his laughter, everything about him was so infuriatingly charming that it made Fox's stomach twist up in knots. How could he feel this way? Everything in their past pointed to him hating the man sitting across from him at the table, but he couldn't.

He couldn't hate Wolf anymore. He couldn't hate him, but that didn't mean he could feel this way!

Right?

Yeah.

"Hey. Fox?" Wolf asked, waving a hand in front of Fox's face. "You sure zone out a lot."

Fox blinked as heat rushed to his face. "Oh, sorry! I get lost in thought a lot," he admitted.

"That's fine!" Wolf replied with a laugh. "I was trying to ask if you wanted to get out of here. We could take a walk?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." 

Fox got up and Wolf did the same, and they left the bustling cafe behind them as they stepped out into the city. 

Fox shoved his hands in his coat pockets as they joined the crowds of people, glancing at Wolf as they went. Wolf met his gaze after a few looks.

"See something you like?" Wolf asked with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"N-no!" _Total lie._ "I just… you're shorter than I thought you'd be!" Fox sputtered, face hot. 

"You expected me to be taller?" Wolf snickered and shook his head. "Sorry to disappoint, Fox, but I've only got like three inches on you."

He was right. There wasn't as much difference between them as Fox had thought for so long. _The guys always tease me for being so short, wonder how they'd feel about Wolf being short too._

"Everyone always talked like you were some hulking beast! I just assumed-"

"And you know what they say about assuming," Wolf replied with a pointed look.

A sigh. "Yeah, I know."

There was silence for a moment and something in Fox felt like it wanted to shrivel up and die. _I guess I screwed up pretty bad. Right when I thought we were making some progress!_

"People really say I'm way taller than I actually am?" Wolf asked in a quiet voice.

Fox couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah! People were always so intimidated when they talked about you!"

Wolf's chest puffed out a bit at his statement. "Good! They should be scared of me!"

"Thought you said you were done with the criminal thing?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean people should think I'm weak."

"So you're calling me weak?" Fox cocked a brow and huffed.

"I didn't mean it like that! You're plenty fierce!" Wolf backtracked with a widened eye. Fox couldn't help but laugh at Wolf's predicament.

_Man, he's adorable._

_Wait. No. He's handsome._

_Oh, that's_ worse _!_

Fox pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and focused on his feet while he walked. His tail thrashed about behind him as that train of thought threatened to keep going past its intended destination. 

"You're not mad, right?" Wolf nudged his shoulder. 

Fox snorted and shook his head. "I'm not!"

Wolf smiled and Fox saw his shoulders relax. _Was he really that worried over a silly joke? It wasn't that big of a deal._

"Are you that worried about what I think, Wolf?" Fox asked as he nudged him back.

Wolf grumbled something under his breath, which made Fox walk closer to him. "Eh? What was that?"

"Nothing important." Wolf's tail was saying otherwise. It was wagging behind him, but he was still frowning as if there was nothing wrong.

"Uh-huh." He rolled his eyes but didn't pry further into the subject.

As they walked side by side, Fox began to take notice of their distance from one another after he leaned in. Or lack thereof, he supposed. Their arms brushed against each other and sent jolts of electricity up his spine. The feeling was addictive; he wanted so much more.

Protests started to swarm his mind, but another brush from Wolf's arm hushed them and left a pleasant warmness where the cacophony of voices in his head once was.

"So is there anywhere in particular we're going?" Fox asked after a moment of silence between the two.

"Not really." Wolf shrugged and kept walking, which made Fox roll his eyes.

"C'mon, there's gotta be somewhere!" Fox whined.

"To tell the truth, I've never been here before…" 

"Wolf!" Fox smacked his arm and groaned. "You're the worst!"

"Nah, you love me!" Wolf waved a hand in dismissal. 

"I love- what?" Fox caught himself as he repeated Wolf, eyes going wide.

Wolf actually snorted instead of laughing at him. It was a disgusting sound, but Fox couldn't help but find it endearing.

"You're adorable, Fox." Wolf reached over and ruffled the fur atop his head. A warm smile graced his lips and Fox couldn't help but smile back.

_Is he being serious with all this flirting? He's never done this to me before… unless this is just how he is outside the cockpit._

_Can't say I'm complaining, though._

Their hands brushed against each other for a fleeting moment; Fox's fingers twitched and ached for something to hold them. For someone to fill that gap.

He spared a glance up at Wolf, who was just humming to himself as they walked with that grin still on his face.

Fox wanted Wolf to be that someone more than anything.

And that terrified him.

"Uh. Hey. Wolf," Fox stammered after quickly averting his gaze. 

"Yeah?"

"There's a park over there." Fox pointed to a break between the buildings ahead of them. He could make out some trees jutting up from the otherwise metal ground of the city. "Wanna check it out?"

"Don't care, long as I'm with you." Wolf patted Fox's back as he spoke.

"Y- yeah. Okay." Fox's heart hammered in his chest at the touch.

They made their way over to the park, which wasn't too busy compared to the packed streets. There was a winding path that circled the lot, which the two followed as the city noise faded away behind them.

Light filtered through the trees above them and cast the ground in a strange, artificial light.

"Nice little park," Wolf stated as he observed their surroundings as well.

"It's nothing like the ones back home on Corneria." Fox shrugged. "Have you been to them?"

Wolf shook his head. "I wasn't born on Corneria."

"Wait, really?"

"Yep. Only ever visited for missions."

Fox wrung his hands. "So… where were you born?"

"Macbeth."

Fox winced. "Oh," he replied softly.

"Yep." Wolf's relaxed expression became far more guarded. "Born into a family of miners in one of the cities. Things went to shit when I was pretty young."

"The early stages of the wars, right?"

Wolf stopped in his tracks and looked up at the sky. "It was the inciting conflict, actually. My home was destroyed, and my family with it." 

"Wolf…" _Dammit, why did I have to open my mouth?_

A smile appeared on Wolf's face as he looked over at Fox. "Nah, it's okay. I don't talk about it enough."

"I'm still sorry I brought it up." Fox's ears pinned to the back of his head as he spoke.

Wolf wrapped his arm around Fox's shoulder. "Seriously, don't be! You're fine!"

"Alright, if you're sure." Fox smiled back at him. "Did you want to continue your story?"

"Not much else to tell. I was angry at the Cornerians, stole a fighter, found Leon. Andross found us soon after."

"Aw man, and here I was talking about Cornerian parks. I'm sorry."

Wolf groaned. "Fox, I told you not to beat yourself up about this!"

"Sorry, habit," Fox mumbled before he could stop himself.

Wolf gazed at him with concern. "Habit? It's a habit?"

Fox didn't reply. Instead, he turned to look at the pond in the middle of the park. _Why do I keep opening my mouth?_

"Fox, c'mon. What's wrong?"

"Guess it's my turn to be serious." Fox crossed his arms. He eyed a nearby bench that overlooked the pond and sat down on it, motioning for Wolf to do the same.

"Long as you're comfortable with it," Wolf replied as he took a seat. Fox tried not to notice that their legs were brushing up against each other. 

Fox laughed. "This isn't gonna be as tragic as your story. It feels wrong to tell it to you after yours."

"Hey, it's okay! We all have different experiences." Wolf set a comforting hand on Fox's thigh. 

Fox looked down at the hand and swallowed. "Well, it's pretty dumb. I tend to blame myself when something goes wrong during missions. Even if it wasn't directly my fault." _And there I go doing it now._

"Burden of leadership." Wolf nodded sagely. "I understand."

"It's not just that!" Fox shook his head. "I blame myself for everything. Even if I wasn't the leader, I think I still would."

Wolf hummed. His hand still hadn't moved from its position on Fox's leg. "You've never been to a therapist, have you?"

Krystal was the first thing to come to Fox's mind, and he laughed at the thought. "I guess Krystal doesn't really count."

Wolf squinted his eye in thought. "Okay, I'll give you _half_ a point for that."

"I should still go to a professional, shouldn't I?"

"It sounds like a problem someone like that could help with." Wolf patted Fox's leg once more before he started to pull away.

Fox's hand shot out to intercept it before he could retreat too far. He stared at where his hand covered Wolf's. "Thank you."

"Of course." Wolf turned his hand to twine his fingers with Fox's, and they fit together perfectly. 

_Guess I was right. Huh._

Fox tilted his head back up to look at Wolf. "I still feel like an idiot, though. I don't know why I blame myself for everything."

"Trauma can be a bitch."

Fox laughed. "I can't argue with that." He ran a thumb over Wolf's knuckles. Wolf smiled and tightened his grip.

Neither of them spoke about the gesture. It felt too natural to talk about. Their hands slotted together without a problem, and Fox didn't feel any reservations about it.

_And to think, I thought Wolf was a nuisance a day ago. I was a little scared of him and what he might do to me._

_He's just a person. Like me._

"Seriously, you went through two wars before you hit _thirty_. Are you really okay?" Wolf asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"I've never slowed down enough to ask that question until lately. I'm not sure." Fox leaned back on the bench and looked up at the sky. "I'm probably screwed up," he admitted with a laugh.

"You and me both, Fox."

"Guess we're screwed up together." Heat rushed to Fox's ears as soon as the words left his mouth, but Wolf didn't seem to notice the implication. 

"Better than being 'mortal enemies,' don't you think?"

Fox looked down at their hands and smiled as a strange feeling bloomed in his chest. It made him feel light and dizzy, yet whole and grounded. "Yeah," he whispered. "Yeah, it is."

_Has Wolf made me feel this way before?_ Fox furrowed his brows in concentration as he tried to think back on conversations they had in the heat of battle.

Only one came to the forefront of his mind. The talk they had on Corneria after saving General Pepper.

_'Don't hesitate! When the time comes, just act!'_

_That talk we had was strange to say the least. First time we weren't at each other's throats. Sure, it was tense, but…_

_Is that how this started?_

"Whatcha thinking about?" Wolf asked as he poked Fox's side.

Fox narrowed his eyes. "How do you know I'm thinking about something?"

"You do this thing where your tongue sticks out while you stare off into space." Wolf snickered. "You also don't respond when I ask a question."

Fox blushed. "S- sorry," he mumbled.

"Quit apologizing!" Wolf sighed and clapped Fox on the shoulder. "Don't be sorry for bein' you."

"I don't wanna be rude, as much as you might deserve it." Fox grinned before Wolf flicked his ear. 

"Doesn't bother me. I think it's adorable." 

"Adorable?" Fox realized they were still holding hands. He looked down at their interlaced fingers and then up at Wolf's face. There was a glint in his eye that was trying to send Fox a message.

"Would you prefer handsome? Or dashing?" A mischievous smile formed on Wolf's face.

Fox swallowed as warmth pooled in his gut and everything clicked in his head. "Are you flirting with me, Wolf?"

Wolf's gaze softened, and for a moment he didn't reply. He seemed lost in thought for a change.

_Shoot, did I misread the situation? I wish I could feel emotions like Krystal; I wouldn't screw anything up ever again!_

"Is it okay with you if I am?" Wolf asked. There was an air of tension between them so thick that it could be cut by a knife.

Fox cut the tension without hesitation. "Yes, of course!" _Please, please…_

Wolf let out a sigh and relaxed. "Okay." He stroked a thumb over Fox's hand. "This okay?"

Fox felt his breath catch in his throat. "Yeah."

Wolf set his other hand on Fox's cheek. "And this? This okay?"

Fox nodded and leaned into the touch as his face caught fire. Thoughts tried to form in his head, but Wolf's touch just fried his brain.

"How about this?" Wolf asked as he leaned in impossibly close, his breath warm on Fox's face.

Fox's heart felt like it was going to leap out of his throat, but he managed a nod. Wolf leaned in that last little bit of distance and-

Fireworks exploded in Fox's mind in place of his thoughts. His eyes slid shut as he leaned into the kiss and wrapped a hand around Wolf's back.

His lips were so soft. He smelled like leather and cheap cologne and Fox wanted to drown in it even if it was an odd combination.

Their first kiss was slow and soft and something completely new, but Fox wouldn't have it any other way. He smiled into the kiss and felt Wolf doing the same.

Fox expected to feel dizzy, but it was balanced. Wolf brought balance to him.

Like two sides of the same coin.

They both pulled away and laughed. Fox pressed his forehead against Wolf's.

"Good?" Fox asked with a grin.

"Amazing," Wolf agreed.

"Unexpected?"

"Definitely."

Fox pressed his lips to Wolf's for a second and was glad to find Wolf kissing back. "How long?" Fox asked when they separated.

"Since the aparoids, but I didn't realize until I did all that thinkin' about you." Wolf smiled and tugged at one of Fox's ears.

"Is that why you helped me and my team?"

"Am I not allowed to say I wanted to do the right thing?" Wolf joked.

"Knowing how you are? Afraid not." Fox shook his head.

"Ya just can't make this easy for me." Wolf hung his head. "Yeah, that's why I saved you."

"Aw, my hero." 

Wolf rolled his eye. "Alright, your turn. How long have you felt like this?" He nudged Fox, who looked away. "Out with it!"

Fox grinned sheepishly. "I didn't know how I felt about you for a while. It took some figuring out but… today, I guess?"

Wolf laughed. "Seriously? Today?" He laughed harder when Fox nodded.

"Hey, it's not funny!" Fox pushed Wolf with a huff.

"It's pretty funny!" Wolf pushed him back while he kept snickering. "My flirting tipped your feelings off!"

"Sh- shut up." Fox crossed his arms as a smile tried to sneak its way into his face.

"That's so damn cute." Wolf wrapped an arm around Fox's waist and drew him close. "You're adorable as hell."

"Why can't I be handsome too?" Fox asked, face burning from the compliments. _Wolf is… he's really something else._

Wolf leaned his head against Fox's. "Oh, you're plenty handsome. Damn hot, too." He nuzzled against Fox as he spoke, his deep voice reverberating through Fox in the best way possible.

"You too, Wolf." Fox leaned against Wolf as they looked out at the pond in front of them. 

The water was calm; the surface was flat and reflected the lights of the city around them in a strange picture that reminded him of a painting. The trees were mirrored perfectly under the surface of the water, like two sides of the same coin.

Fox hummed. _Two sides of the same coin…_

Wolf cleared his throat. "So… boyfriends now, yeah?"

"Well, duh." _Dork._

"Felt like I should clarify, you know?"

"Funny, seems like most of these stories end like that."

Wolf snorted. "This more like… a beginning, don't you think?"

That warmth was back again. "Yeah… yeah, I like that." Fox relaxed further into Wolf's embrace. "A beginning."

_But… he's just gonna go back to his wandering like before. We'll be apart, right after we just started this._ Fox couldn't keep his throat from tightening and a stupid tear from welling in his eye.

"Fox? What's the matter?"

"Come back with me." The words burst from his mouth before he could stop himself.

"What?" Wolf pulled back to look at Fox with a questioning gaze. _Ah, hell._

"Come back to the Great Fox, join my team!" _May as well keep it up._ "Sure it'll take some convincing for my team, but you would fit in! You'll get paid, and you can keep doing some good, and you would get to stay with me!" Fox grabbed Wolf's shirt. "Please?"

Wolf stared at Fox for a moment. They were quiet, and Fox felt something inside of him threaten to burst and break.

And then Wolf laughed.

"Guess that saves me the trouble of following you when you leave to go back to your friends!"

Fox blinked. "You were-"

"C'mon, you said it earlier. You know me."

_Yeah, figures he was planning on doing that._ "You don't wanna give this up either, huh?"

"Course not." Wolf cradled Fox's head in his hands. "We gotta figure all this out together."

Fox nodded, his heart too full for him to speak. All he could do was lean forward and express all of his feelings in a kiss.

It wasn't the most perfect kiss, but Fox tried to put as much raw emotion behind it as he could. Wolf seemed to be doing the same, with how he latched onto Fox like a lifeline.

This was the last thing I expected to be doing with Wolf today, but I'm glad it turned out this way.

Fox found himself getting lost in Wolf's eye when they took a second to breathe. He smiled and did his best to make sure he would never forget how Wolf looked at that moment.

_No way I'm giving this up._

Wolf kissed him again, and his brain fried again as his eyes fell shut once more. Everything felt as hypersensitive as the first time and Fox just couldn't get enough of the man in front of him.

_We'll figure all of this out._

_It's gonna be okay._

_As long as we stick together, it's going to be alright._

Despite everything that had changed between them, Fox was certain of that.


End file.
